Hi...I need some help finding out what I have. I have been buying 1891 Argentine Mausers for a while now that all have been made in Loewe Berlin with 2 small logos next to manufact. This one is a long barrell, straight bolt "mauser modelo argentino 1891, deutsche waffen-und munitionsfabriken" Berlin. It has the same 2 small logos to the left of this stamp. # is S5707(all #'s match....) if anyone can enlighten me as to why this is made with a diff. stamp, I would be in your debt Thanks Gary

Ludwig Loewe and Isidore Loewe were Jewish arms traders who acquired shares of several arm manufacturer companies (notably FN and Mauser) in the 1890s, forming the Ludwig Loewe company. Ludwig took control of Mauser Werke, Isidore later merged it with ammunition company Deutsche Metallpatronen Fabrik Lorenz to form Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken Aktien-Gesellschaft (DWM) in 1896. DWM was the major arms supplier in Germany for 30 years, producing several major weapons systems, including the P08 Parabellum pistol (Luger), the MG01 and MG08 Maxim machine guns, and of course the Gewehr 1898. After a series of changes brought about by the fact that they were not allowed to manufacture military weaponry under the Versailles Treaty, DWM was taken over in 1929 by Quandt Grupp (an industrial conglomerate with ties to the German goverment), renamed several times to try to conceal its weapons development role, then reverted to its name as DWM in 1936. Following WW2, DWM manufactured trucks and railway cars.

DWM adopted a tradename based on an old Latin saying meaning, "If you want peace, prepare for war." They used it for some of their guns and also as probably the most famous telegraph address in firearms history:

Navy Joe, until 1933 German Jews were some of the most patriotic Germans around, heavily into Germanic names like Siegfried etc. Which is why many of them didn't take Hitler serious at the beginning, it was something that would pass as usual, no reason to leave their country for.
Best summarized in the following joke from 1933: Two German Jews are running from the pursuing Nazis and barely make it over the Dutch border. Two Dutch custom officials pick them up and slowly walk them to their border post. Says the one Jew to the other: "Look how slovenly they walk, nothing like our SS".

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I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.

The real irony of the Kraft durch Freude (KdF) Wagen (the Germans rarely used the term "Volkswagen" before WWII) was that the buyer paid on the installment plan. Not after he got the car, but in advance. He could have money taken out of his pay, along with his regular dues for the KdF, toward purchase of a car. Of course, due to the evil actions of Poland, Britain, France, etc., the noble Führer was forced into war, so delivery of the cars was delayed (and the noble Führer kept the money). The money was lost, of course, and the KdF ceased to exist. Any German who wanted a Volkswagen had to buy one, but at least in post-war Germany the installment plan meant payment after the buyer took possession.

Hitler was awarded the Iron Cross First and Second Class. The First Class was an award for bravery and was earned. The Second Class may have been earned, but it was very common, some 5 million being awarded in WWI.

In fact, the Iron Cross Second Class amounted to a combination of service medal and, since it was given to wounded personnel, the Purple Heart. The award was so common that some German soldiers said that the only way to avoid it was desertion.

So far as is known, it is the only German medal to have been "bestowed" on an Englishman during WWI. A British flying officer (I don't recall his name) had been shot down and wounded and was in a German military hospital. An officer came through with a basket full of Iron Cross Second Class medals and simply tossed one on each bed. So an Englishman received a German award. There is no record of whether he ever wore it.

Supposedly Goering said, "I say who's Jewish and who isn't," in response to some comment about someone who worked for him.

Also, supposedly during the brief period that Argentina controlled the Falklands, numbers of television sets were sold to the residents--on the installment plan. Being British/Falklanders, I assume the payments were made.

There is also a story about some British naval officer, I believe, being awarded some decoration based on the recommendation of the enemy, the Germans. Also sounds like something the British might do.

Mauser still exists as an arms company, though I don't believe they market small arms. In fact, they are one of our clients, along with several other armaments makers that exhibited at the SHOT show. I work in the trade show business. For a time we even had an M4 floating around the office when we did a project for the army, along with a box of uniforms (for a female mannikin!), helmet, the works. Surprisingly heavy little gun with a metal rail.

Mauser still exists as an arms company, though I don't believe they market small arms.

Though a technicality, Mauser Waffen is not the same company as Mauser Werke, which ceased to exist at the end of WW2, then reincarnated later when sporting firearms became legal to own again (Mauser is currently owned by Rheinmetall). Yes, they make a beautiful rifle, although I am pretty sure I will not own one this year because they cost about as much as a small house. And they also make military arms. The MG3 is a fantastic light machinegun, basically the MG42 in 7.62X51mm NATO.

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